Lord Triesman: Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, a prominent Sudanese human rights activist, was detained in Khartoum on 8 May along with two colleagues, Mr Yasir Saleem and Mr Abdallah Taha. Mr Abdallah was released without charge on 11 May. Dr Mudawi and Mr Yasir were subsequently charged under articles 53 (Espionage against the Country) and 57 (Entering and Photographing Military Areas and Works). Mr Yasir was released unharmed on 12 May. Dr Mudawi was released unharmed on 17 May.
	Our Embassy in Khartoum raised this case with the acting Foreign Minister on 10 May and on 14 May. We also supported representations made by the local EU Presidency on this matter. I will continue to pay close attention to this case.

Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer my noble Lord to the document entitled Draft Operational Programme of the Council for 2005 Submitted by the Incoming Luxembourg and UK Presidencies, issued as document 15503/04 on 2 December 2004 by the Council Secretariat. The specific Transport Council agenda for the UK Presidency will become clearer at the end of the current Presidency.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Transport conducts surveys of average traffic speeds on trunk roads and on roads in large urban areas. The results from these surveys are published in terms of average traffic speeds rather than average journey times.
	The last three surveys of average traffic speeds on the English trunk road network show the following results by road type.
	
		Average Traffic Speeds between 1998, 2001 and 2003 by Road Type
		
			   1998 2001 2003 
			 mph 
			 Motorways am peak 52.3 55.0 55.7 
			  Off-peak 62.6 60.8 63.6 
			  pm peak 56.2 59.7 57.9 
			  
			 A roads—all am peak 41.3 43.7 44.7 
			  Off-peak 45.5 46.0 47.3 
			  pm peak 43.3 44.3 45.0 
			  
			 All trunk roads am peak 46.8 49.4 50.2 
			  Off-peak 53.6 53.3 55.2 
			  pm peak 49.7 51.8 51.3 
		
	
	Note: These estimated average speeds relate to only parts of network covered in all three surveys.
	The results from the latest surveys of average traffic speeds in English urban areas showed the following results.
	
		Average traffic speeds between 1999–2000 and 2002 in English urban areas
		
			  1999–2000 2002 
			   mph 
			 Peak 21.7 21.2 
			 Off-Peak 25.8 25.9 
		
	
	These statistics have been published in Traffic Speeds on English Trunk Roads: 2003, reference SB (04) 24 and Traffic Speeds in English Urban Areas: 2002, reference SB (03) 18 which are available in the Library of the House.
	Note:The 2004 urban survey of traffic speeds in English urban areas is due to be published shortly.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Haiti is potentially eligible to receive debt relief under Evian terms from the Paris Club if this is required to bring its debt burden down to a sustainable level. As an IDA-only country, Haiti may also be eligible to receive comprehensive debt relief under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund are currently conducting a review of country eligibility based on the debt situation as of the end of 2004. The results are due to be made public in the HIPC status of implementation report to be published this autumn.
	The UK is also proposing 100 per cent. relief on the debt owed by poor countries to the World Bank, African Development Bank and IMF. We are leading the way by paying our share of debt payments owed to the World Bank and African Development Bank, and are calling for better use of IMF gold to fund its debt relief costs.
	Eligible countries include all post-completion point HIPCs, and all other low income IDA-only countries with suitably robust public expenditure management systems to ensure the savings are directed towards poverty reduction. The current proxy for this is whether the country is receiving direct poverty-reduction budgetary support from the World Bank through the poverty reduction support credit (PRSC). As an IDA-only country Haiti is potentially eligible for assistance under this initiative, and will be able to benefit after it receives support in this form from the World Bank.